RockRaines

QUOTE (scenario @ Dec 15, 2008 -> 03:22 PM) One of my favorite sites... www.minorleaguesplits.com Ha, you are quick, I found that right after I posted. I could only find IP on the other site I was looking at as well as WHIP splits.

QUOTE (scenario @ Dec 15, 2008 -> 03:13 PM) Gotta keep in mind the small sample size in his time with the Sox last year. In the minors in 2008, in 330 at-bats, righties batted only .202 against Richard. (Lefties batted .228 in 161 at-bats) I saw the minor league stats, but I feel that a pitcher like him who relies on his unorthodox delivery that minor league hitters have exponentially more trouble with picking up the ball. I wanted to only use his major league stats because of that circumstance.

How many sidearm lefty starters are in the league today? Randy Johnson and........ Clayton's biggest weapon is his arm angle and the deception in his delivery. That combination screams LOOGY to me. .274 BAA with lefties .320 BAA with Righties. All 5 HR he gave up were to righties. 1.70 WHIP against Righties. 41 hits in 29.1 IP. Put him in Boone's vacated spot and let him excel there.

QUOTE (CanOfCorn @ Dec 15, 2008 -> 02:31 PM) Two things...from a couple of pages back...Rock, the Illini have played other Illinois schools, they played EIU last year and SIU the year before, I believe. I think part of the problem is, besides NW and NIU, all of the other Illinois schools are I-AA and lower (scuse me, Football Championship Subdivision). And I believe that Ron Guenther likes to schedule more FBS schools. Also, the fact that NIU was good and UI was, well, not, it scared the crap outta them. Two, McCoy should've won. He is underrated, has some ok, but not great, WRs in Quan Cosby and Jordan Shipley...lost his running back...and they still go 11-1. Bradford had lots of weapons. Tebow had Harvin. Even Harrell, who should have been there and I think that's the biggest snub ever in Heisman history, had Crabtree. I would have voted: McCoy, Bradford, Harrell, Tebow. Look at the records Bradford set at Ok and in the NCAA. McCoy has plenty of weapons, Texas pulls in a top talent recruiting class every year. As for the Ill schools. I dont think that the 1-AA (or whatver) should stop them from playing one of them a year. It lets the other schools in the state earn some money and help their athletic and educational programs. NIU should def be one they schedule every year.

QUOTE (RockRaines @ Nov 21, 2008 -> 11:39 AM) Whoa, how did I not see that ""youtube sensation" Sam McGuffie left UM? http://mgoblog.com/content/sam-mcguffie-others-leaving-team Any inside story from someone? Just wanted to quote myself, it looks like he really did leave. Too many concussions and too far from home. http://michigan.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=888262 As a Bucks fan, good.

QUOTE (Jordan4life @ Dec 15, 2008 -> 11:40 AM) Every pitcher is different. You've got some guys that are just stubborn. Kinda like Kerry Wood all those years. Maybe easily wasn't the right word. But a good pitching coach+a pitcher's willingness to change and mechanics more times than not are fixable. Kerry Wood's stuff was really dependent on his terrible mechanics though, which is why it was hard to change them.

QUOTE (Rex Hudler @ Dec 15, 2008 -> 06:45 AM) I just don't think the best player means the best numbers in all cases. I've watched Tebow enough over the past few years that I am a believer. Lots of guys would have won the Heisman if it were simply about numbers. What I did like about this year is I don't think Heisman Hype came into play at all. There was no clear cut favorite and the guys at the top really separated themselves in the 2nd half of the season. No billboards in Times Square necessary this year. But at some point it has to be about numbers. All three candidates for the most part passed that first test of being on another level than other players, and leading their team to success. After that point, it should be about the numbers mostly. Especially when a player like Bradford leads to nation in so many categories. And if you think this was a year without the hype, thats probably because you ARE a Tebow supporter who is a beneficiary of most of the hype.

QUOTE (whitesoxbrian @ Dec 14, 2008 -> 11:36 PM) The Hawks remind me of the Bears- every game, it seems like they disappear for half a period or so. They start out slow sometimes but come on strong after the first intermission. I dont know if its adjustments or Q getting on their asses a little. BTW, the 4th line has been outstanding on this winning streak. Eager looks like a man possessed.

QUOTE (SoxFan101 @ Dec 15, 2008 -> 01:05 AM) Personally I think McCoy had a better season than Bradford, and I think he had a worse team around him too. He probably did have a worse team around him, but its hard to argue against a guy who led the nation in many of the QB categories including QB rating.

QUOTE (Rex Hudler @ Dec 13, 2008 -> 11:38 PM) Personally I would have voted for: 1. Colt McCoy 2. Tim Tebow 3. Sam Bradford Why is that? Bradford had the best numbers of the bunch. Tebow should have been last on everyones ballot as he probably shoudnt have even been one of the 3 finalists. Ah I had to edit because I saw above that Tebow's intangibles were a major factor.

Getz is a good all around hitter. He makes alot of contact and can put up a decent OBP. I think he sticks there immediately.

Buckeyes eeked that one out.

I cant believe there wasnt a few fights in the game last night. We are becoming that annoying chippy team and other teams like to scrap with us.

QUOTE (Thunderbolt @ Dec 12, 2008 -> 09:01 PM) Well, big girls have a lot more... uh, body fat? A lot more that needs to be cleaned so.... it's a theory. Hotter girls tend to take care of themselves more. And where did these girls get the idea that bathing in the KFC sink would be sexy? Thats f-in gross no matter who the girl is.

Either way there should be alot of action here in the next few days.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Dec 12, 2008 -> 11:28 AM) I love how everyone pretty much had the Cowboys winning it all this year after their start. TO always destroys teams. Remember how happy he was with McNabb to start things out, and then he turned on him? You're seeing the same thing here. What a stupid soap opera that team is. "He said this, he said that, he doesnt throw to me" Blah blah blah. Sucks to have to be a fan of a team that acts like that.

QUOTE (Hatchetman @ Dec 12, 2008 -> 11:21 AM) Joe is gonna have to go to a Pittsburgh-type of place and prove his back is OK for a year. Alot of players are going to take massive pay cuts including Joe Crede.

QUOTE (Steve9347 @ Dec 12, 2008 -> 12:05 PM) I'm shocked this is still being discussed. On the Score they flatly denied the rumor saying it was made up by Abreu's agent. You mean they didnt confirm that they were looking at replacement OF'ers if they trade one of their current starters? THATS CRAZY!!!! They 100 percent have spoken to Abreu's agent.

He shouldnt even be on this team. He is a good mid season filler, but if you go into the season with Wise on your roster you are in deep trouble.

QUOTE (SoxFan562004 @ Dec 12, 2008 -> 09:48 AM) Rock, I love you as a poster man, but I disagree with you including Lesnar/Couture in the same sentence as Kimbo. You can make a strong argument that the fight shouldn't of been for the belt and they should of just kept Nog's as the only HW belt, but Randy and Lesnar are far and away more legit than Kimbo. Lesnar was an NCAA champ, that is impressive and right up there with the wrestling credentials of many of the top fighters. Randy hadn't fought for a year, but beating Sylvia and Gonzaga were two quality wins. Was the match rushed and overhyped? Yes, I would agree, but its a busniess and it worked since prelim PPV numbers are floating around 800k to 1m, but it's not in the same league as Kimbo Thats fine, I just dont consider either one of those guys in the top half of MMA fighters is all. Couture is unbelievable over the hill and Lesnar really doesnt have a very well rounded game. Part of the problem is that their division just isnt as good or deep as some of the lighter guys. I didnt mean to equate them with Kimbo in the sense that you took it.

Apparently it was actually Sean Marshall that killed the deal. Its not often you see a swingman/journeyman stop a deal for one of the best pitchers in the league.

QUOTE (Balta1701 @ Dec 12, 2008 -> 11:06 AM) After last season, I doubt any team will offer Joe a major league deal. Someone will offer him an invitation to camp. Thats the thing, he is MAYBE an afterthought for a team, pretty far fall from what people expected Joe to get before last season.

QUOTE (sircaffey @ Dec 12, 2008 -> 10:52 AM) If you had to pick a siamese twin for Homer Bailey, Alan Embree would be it. Im assuming that was sarcastic.

QUOTE (caulfield12 @ Dec 12, 2008 -> 09:50 AM) Or Brandon McCarthy...followed closely by Jon Adkins, Alan Embree and Billy Koch. Ah yes, the ol Apples and oranges discussion. Lets bring in the names of every failed pitcher as an example since they are all first round talents that were at one point one of the top prospects in the country.

QUOTE (LosMediasBlancas @ Dec 12, 2008 -> 02:33 AM) You're right, I don't watch much, maybe three fights a week, max. That's because most MMA fights end how I described above. I guess it just comes down to what you enjoy. Boxing is hurting right now, but I still want to see a 12 round fight because usually, the better fighter wins. In boxing, you can come back from making one mistake. A guy can take a few really good shots, even be knocked down and still have a chance to come back and win the fight. It's a marathon, not a sprint. In MMA, a guy's hand slips because he's sweaty, suddenly he's in an arm bar, match over. It seems too flukey. Maybe that zero room for error is what fans enjoy. I remember when MMA was becoming popular, people were calling it barbaric. Supporters of MMA said that boxing is far worse because a boxer has to keep coming out round after round, absorbing punches over a longer period of time. Well, exactly, that's how you know who wins a fight. Not by who strikes first, but by who struck the most and was still on his feet at the end. MMA in the beginning was barbaric but is now mostly very skilled fighters who are experts at 4 or more fighting techniques. They still roll out the haymaker flukey fights like Kimbo and the last PPV with old man river and WWF's best. In your example above though, there are many outcomes, do you know the arm bar defense? Are you good on your back, in guard, half guard, are you giving up side control. Is the guy possibly a Mui Thai fighter? Do I have to know how to defend the thai clinch? There are so many factors in becoming a very good MMA fighter that other sports just dont have. I would recommend watching some Ultimate fighter on spike to see how guys train to survive in MMA, but also pay attention to the non PPV fights, where you can find alot of skilled guys without the hype.